The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-18
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.
HONEST As THE oAY IS LONG,
GUT VERY ExAcTiN0.

But VERY -ExACTtN6.
The Peeu.izrisies OF . Cariess People.
Csssss,.s Before the war-Oppesatiea %
the Commen school sysssm-Fsw Out
side Alliances.
under the sun than these same Pennsyl-
vania Dutch farmers Their ancestors
were the pioneer settlers in one Of the
most fertile sections OF Pennsylvania, and
the superstitions, customs and antipathies
OF the fathers are still held by the sons.
The war Of the rebellion did more to dispel
the traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch
than anything in their history; but go
among them in the back countries, where
their farms are isolated from towns, and
you will find them still Arm believers in
spooks, witches and charms, and strong
In their doubts Of the necessity Of com
mon schools. They are rs honest as the
day is long, and the mos: close listed and
exacting in a bargain Of any people in the
world. Driving long distances to market,
they will haggle over a dime in a bargain
that involves probably the sale Of hun
dreds Of dollars worth Of produce. and il
assured by going ten miles farther they
will be able to sell their goods and make
the extra ten cents, they will not hesitate
a moment to take the journey. The extra
time and labor they do not take into ac-
count.
From the earliest days Of the Penn
sylvania Dutch farmers they have re-
Rarded mental service as the duty Of wo-
men. Ii Is by no means an uncommon
sight to see, in passing these back farm
ing regions, the women working in the
fields Us well as the men, not only hoeing
and harvesting, but following the pillow
or harrow. This idea that women shall
have No mission beyond mental labor is
well illustrated by the fact that many a
domestic drudge in the town families IL
the daughter of some farmer rich enough
to buy her employer over and over again.
I have a. servant in my house whose father
Is one of the lest known Dutch farmers
in eastern Lehigh county, and is worth at
least $50 900.
Before the war the old Dutch farmers
held to the custom of their fathers, which
prompted them tn never refuse to extend
financial aid TO anothe and that without
exacting written obligation or interest.
II one farmer needed a few hundred dol
lars lie went to any neighbOr whom he
knew had the money. The loan was at
once forthcoming, the borrower naming u
certain day and hour on which the money
would be repaid. Ii be failed To keep his
word ne was forever in disgrace, and no
one was hound to respond to his request
for all ;gIiin- Defaults in payment Of
these unsecured ami unremunerative loans
were very rare, so sacred WAS the verbal
contract held. The scarcity OF money that
came with the early Years of the war, and
the premium that gold commanded, sent
SPECTATORS through the Pennsylvania
Dutch farming regions, and the cupidity
of the farmers was soon awakened, and
they for the first time began to realize
profit from the use OF their money. Then
the old custom of helping one another
without some return Of the favor was
gradually abandoned, and the bond and
mortgage took its place. As the Dutch
farmers, as a class, are seldom In need of
borrowing, and are suspicious of outsiders
in making icans, the existence Of fortunes
in stockings apd coffee pots may ne
further explained
ssWheu The common school system was
first proposed, although IL was the scheme
| of Pennsylvania Dutch Legislators and ex-
| ing it, After it was authorized by law
| fits machinery ia many of the districts Of
the Dutch counties necessarily passed into
| the control ( its opponents. Their policy
| was to establish Is few schools as possible,
| keep them open only a few weeks in the
| year and employ oaly such teachers as
| were willing tn serve ut the lowest possible
wages Many old timers have not modified
their opposition IL the common school yet,
| and Will Eot accept its benefits. The con-
| sequence IL that there are whole coInmuni-
| ties where rothing but German is read,
| written or spoken. IL is a characteristic
| of the race to preserve their language,
which il quaint combination Of English
| and German.
! The one great characteristic of the
| Pennsylvania Dutch is their regard for
and strict attendance at church No
| matter how far the nearest church may
be away, the farmer and his family never
miss a Sundays service. A man may
/ offend AGAINST law in other ways and
| be forgiven, but il he ne2lects his church
he is at once placed under the ban of
society. The Pennsy lvania Dutch are
| proud of their party, and they adhere
closely To old FORMS They are the
/ severest OF PIotestants. Politicians
| understand and Use his love OF church
| among the farmers, and candidate going
| among them and making os;entatious
| show Of his church connections, and, being
| able to quote from the Scriptures, captures
the hears and votes of the simple minded
| Dutchmen.
Probably nowhere else in the country
| are the social pastimes of the farmers pre-
I served and indulgc,i in to such an extent
| as they are among the Pennsylvania
I y
| the quilting. bee. the Obi fashioned country
| dance furnish the amusement and recrea-
| ton To the buxom Dutch maidens and
! lus.y swsiEs to-day they did to those Of
hundreds of years ago The dances are
kept up from early evening until daylight
! There is no going to bed after dance.
| The women gu at once to their household
| duties and ihe men IN their labor in the
| field the same as il they had slept rs
usual, from candle light TO candle light,
| according to the oil Dutch custom. Work
indoors and ont begins soon as there is
| light enough To see, and continues until II
| is too dark TO see. winter and summer.
The Dutch families discourage and
disapprovr of all marriages that will
| destroy the purity Of their blood, and
| hence the marriages with members OF any
! other race are very rare. This accounts
| for the remarkable preservation Of the
language. the customs and the traditions
of their fcrcf,ilers among these people,
surrounded ~ they are by influences Of
| the highest rnslern thought and example.
| But i'm spite IL their exclusiveness, their
teBse,oJ, adherence to niess OF n century
ago and stubborn resistance to the
! advance IF those Of to-day, the lessons In
| integrity. industry, thrift and thorough
ness which they have given have had q
most beneficial effect, not only in the
region which they have developed, but
| throughout the state as well, and Penn
syivania is a hundresifold the better for
their presence Cor. New York Mail
and Express
! The newest thing wanted at Yale Is q
branch po-;office for the university